Damper with valve preload limiter

1. A damper system for a vehicle, comprising:

a pressure tube containing a hydraulic fluid;

a piston rod extending within the pressure tube along a longitudinal axis;

a piston assembly slidably fitted in the pressure tube for movement along the longitudinal axis, the piston assembly coupled to the piston rod and separating the pressure tube into a first working chamber and a second working chamber, the piston assembly including a piston body and a valve assembly that controls fluid flow between the first working chamber and the second working chamber;

a frequency dependent damper assembly including a damper housing coupled to the piston rod, a plunger sleeve that is longitudinally moveable relative to the damper housing along the longitudinal axis between a rest position and an engaged position, and a plunger chamber disposed between the damper housing and the plunger sleeve that is fluidly connected to at least one of the first working chamber and the second working chamber;

wherein an increase in pressure within the plunger chamber creates an adaptive force on the plunger sleeve that moves the plunger sleeve longitudinally towards the piston assembly to the engaged position, the plunger sleeve transmitting the adaptive force to the valve assembly when in the engaged position to increase resistance of the valve assembly to opening; and

a plunger travel limiter positioned longitudinally between the damper housing and the valve assembly, the plunger sleeve contacting and transmitting force through plunger travel limiter to the valve assembly when the plunger sleeve is in the engaged position, the plunger travel limiter restricting the longitudinal movement of the plunger sleeve towards the piston body and limiting the adaptive force the plunger sleeve applies to the valve assembly.

2. The damper system of claim 1 , wherein the valve assembly includes a floating support washer slidably fitted on the piston rod for movement along the longitudinal axis, the floating support washer positioned longitudinally between the plunger travel limiter and the piston body.

3. The damper system of claim 2 , wherein the valve assembly includes a compliant member coupled to the piston rod between the floating support washer and the plunger travel limiter, the compliant member positioned to apply a biasing force to the floating support washer that biases the floating support washer towards the piston body.

4. The damper system of claim 3 , wherein the plunger sleeve contacts the compliant member in the engaged position to transmit the adaptive force to the compliant member and increase the biasing force the compliant member applies to the floating support washer.

5. The damper system of claim 4 , wherein the compliant member is a disk spring and wherein the floating support washer includes an outer rim and a floating support washer cavity that is positioned radially between the piston rod and the outer rim, the floating support washer cavity positioned to at least partially receive the compliant member when the compliant member flexes as the floating support washer moves longitudinally along the longitudinal axis towards the damper housing.

6. The damper system of claim 5 , wherein the floating support washer cavity includes at least one annular step that is positioned to accommodate the compliant member as the compliant member flexes in response to the plunger travel limiter moving longitudinally along the longitudinal axis to the engaged position.

7. The damper system of claim 3 , wherein the piston body includes at least one flow passage that is disposed in fluid communication with the first and second working chambers and wherein the valve assembly includes at least one valve plate that is resilient and controls fluid flow through the at least one flow passage in the piston body by closing and opening the at least one flow passageway depending on fluid pressure in the first and second working chambers and the biasing force the compliant member applies to the floating support washer.

8. The damper system of claim 3 , further comprising:

a floating disk slidably fitted on the piston rod for movement along the longitudinal axis, the floating disk positioned longitudinally between the plunger travel limiter and the compliant member.

9. The damper system of claim 8 , wherein the compliant member has a compliant member radius and the floating disk has a floating disk radius that is less than the compliant member radius.

10. The damper system of claim 1 , wherein the plunger travel limiter includes at least one tab that extends radially outwardly towards the pressure tube and the plunger sleeve includes at least one notch that is positioned to slidably receive the at least one tab of the plunger travel limiter as the plunger sleeve moves longitudinally relative to the plunger travel limiter along the longitudinal axis between the rest position and the engaged position.

11. The damper system of claim 10 , wherein the at least one notch includes an inset surface that contacts the at least one tab of the plunger travel limiter when the plunger sleeve is in the engaged position preventing the plunger sleeve from moving further towards the piston body.

12. The damper system of claim 11 , wherein the at least one notch has an L-shaped profile and includes a longitudinal portion and a circumferential portion and wherein the at least one tab of the plunger travel limiter is positioned in the circumferential portion of the at least one notch.

13. A damper system for a vehicle, comprising:

a pressure tube;

a piston assembly slidably fitted in the pressure tube that separates the pressure tube into a first working chamber and a second working chamber, the piston assembly including a piston body and a valve assembly that controls fluid flow between the first working chamber and the second working chamber;

a frequency dependent damper assembly including a damper housing coupled to the piston assembly, a plunger sleeve that circumferentially surrounds the damper housing is longitudinally moveable relative to the damper housing between a rest position and an engaged position, and a plunger chamber disposed between the damper housing and the plunger sleeve that is fluidly connected to at least one of the first working chamber and the second working chamber;

wherein an increase in pressure within the plunger chamber creates an adaptive force on the plunger sleeve that moves the plunger sleeve longitudinally towards the piston assembly to the engaged position, the plunger sleeve contacting the valve assembly in the engaged position to transmit the adaptive force to the valve assembly and increase resistance of the valve assembly to opening; and

a plunger travel limiter positioned longitudinally between the damper housing and the valve assembly that contacts the plunger sleeve when the plunger sleeve is in the engaged position to restrict the longitudinal movement of the plunger sleeve towards the piston body and limit the adaptive force the plunger sleeve applies to the valve assembly.

14. The damper system of claim 13 , wherein the valve assembly includes a floating support washer positioned longitudinally between the plunger travel limiter and the piston body, the floating support being longitudinally moveable relative to the piston assembly and the plunger travel limiter.

15. The damper system of claim 14 , wherein the valve assembly includes a compliant member that is positioned longitudinally between the floating support washer and the plunger travel limiter to apply a biasing force to the floating support washer, the biasing force biasing the floating support washer towards the piston body, the plunger sleeve contacting the compliant member in the engaged position to transmit the adaptive force to the compliant member and increase the biasing force the compliant member applies to the floating support washer.

16. The damper system of claim 13 , wherein the plunger travel limiter includes at least one tab that extends radially outwardly towards the pressure tube and the plunger sleeve includes at least one notch that is positioned to slidably receive the at least one tab of the plunger travel limiter as the plunger sleeve moves longitudinally relative to the plunger travel limiter between the rest position and the engaged position.

17. The damper system of claim 16 , wherein the at least one notch includes an inset surface that contacts the at least one tab of the plunger travel limiter when the plunger sleeve is in the engaged position preventing the plunger sleeve from moving further towards the piston body.

18. A frequency dependent damper assembly for attachment to a piston rod of a vehicle shock absorber having first and second working chambers, the frequency dependent damper assembly comprising:

a damper housing extending longitudinally between a first end and a second end;

a plunger sleeve mounted on or in the damper housing that is longitudinally moveable relative to the damper housing between a rest position and an engaged position;

a plunger chamber disposed between the damper housing and the plunger sleeve that is fluidly connected to at least one of the first working chamber and the second working chamber such that an increase in pressure within the plunger chamber creates an adaptive force on the plunger sleeve that moves the plunger sleeve longitudinally away from the second end of the damper housing to the engaged position; and

a plunger travel limiter, abutting the first end of the damper housing, that contacts the plunger sleeve when the plunger sleeve is in the engaged position to restrict longitudinal movement of the plunger sleeve relative to the damper housing, wherein the plunger travel limiter includes at least one tab that extends radially outwardly and the plunger sleeve includes at least one notch that is positioned to slidably receive the at least one tab of the plunger travel limiter as the plunger sleeve moves longitudinally relative to the plunger travel limiter between the rest position and the engaged position.

19. The damper system of claim 18 , wherein the at least one notch includes an inset surface that contacts the at least one tab of the plunger travel limiter when the plunger sleeve is in the engaged position preventing the plunger sleeve from moving further away from the second end of the damper housing.